One of my favorite reporters, podcasters, and analysts was laid off from his job a few weeks ago.
Zach Lowe is widely considered to be the best basketball reporter and one of the best sports reporters working today. And yet, that didn’t save him at ESPN.
The news leaves me with a lot of thoughts, including:
- What do news consumers really value? Clearly, ESPN did not believe that Lowe’s analysis and appreciation for nuance were as valuable as Shams Charania’s ability to break news or Stephen A. Smith’s ability to yell on television for 14 hours a day.
- To the extent that news consumers value nuanced and thoughtful analysis, what’s the best way to monetize that? This question is personally important to me as I plan out the growth of Fintech Takes. I hope you are enjoying the newsletter and the podcast, but what else could Fintech Takes offer that you would find valuable? What might you be willing to pay for? If you have any thoughts on this, I would deeply appreciate you letting me know!
- If Zach Lowe isn’t safe, none of us are. Writing this newsletter is a privilege that I try very hard not to take for granted. I don’t know how long I’ll have the opportunity to do it, so I want to make sure I’m enjoying every second of it.
In the spirit of that last point and in honor of Zach Lowe and the imminent start of the 2024-2025 NBA season, I am going to use today’s newsletter to compare fintech companies to NBA basketball players.
A few quick notes before I get started:
- As with my fintech logo rankings, I recognize that this is an incredibly silly and subjective thing to do, and I ask that you please not get too mad about any of the comps. This is just for fun!
- There is absolutely no rhyme or reason for which companies and which players I picked. My only two rules were: 1.) Only active NBA players, and 2.) No Celtics (It’s easier not to show favoritism if I avoid comparing companies to players on my favorite team).
- I checked all my comps with my dad and brother, who are deeply qualified for this job as they both work in fintech and follow the NBA closely.
OK, ready?
Here we go!
Fintech Company — NBA Player Comps
Chime — Luka Doncic
Plays the game at a weirdly slow pace that shouldn’t be effective against the fastest and most powerful competitors in the world, but somehow, it works. Rarely misses.
Also, in a nice coincidence, Chime is the official jersey sponsor for the Dallas Mavericks.
Ramp — De’Aaron Fox
Fastest player in the league. Must be exhausting to play against. Monetizes through embedded finance.
Also, if the Ramp team doesn’t already have a giant spotlight that they fire up every time they ship a new feature, they need to get one. LIGHT THE BEAM!
Visa — LeBron James
The GOAT (arguably). Old, but still performing at a high level. Has adapted his game to keep pace with a changing industry. Has mastered the ability to keep peace in the locker room while also never letting his organization feel complacent.
(Editor’s Note — If anyone can explain who Bronny James is in this analogy, they win a gold star.)
Klarna — Giannis Antetokounmpo
Has grown into a superstar from humble origins. Feels unstoppable in the open court/ZIRP. Brings a lot to the table, but also takes a lot off the table.
Is the generative AI stuff an incredibly well-executed Euro step? Or is it traveling? Who knows!
Cash App — Russell Westbrook
Has a difficult-to-explain-but-obviously-magnetic charisma. Puts up outrageous stats. Loves fashion. Not always the easiest colleague to work with.
Plaid — Steph Curry
Super talented. Massively influential. Sneakily competitive. Fun to root for unless you’re playing against him.
(Editor’s Note — Steph plays in the Chase Center, but he’s so incredibly unlike JPMorgan Chase that it’s not even worth considering.)
Mercury — James Harden
This one needs no explanation.
Robinhood — Ja Morant
A favorite of gamblers. Comfortable with risk. Has had some problems staying on the court.
Also, another nice coincidence: Robinhood is the official jersey sponsor for the Memphis Grizzlies!
Affirm — Nikola Jokic
Beloved teammate who makes everyone else on the court better. Occasionally has a difficult time finding the right balance between facilitating (building for merchants) and scoring (building for consumers).
MX — Tyrese Haliburton
Doesn’t play in a flashy market (banking), but excels at setting up teammates and appears to truly care about their success, on and off the court.
Stripe — Anthony Edwards
The new face of the league. Plays the game with style and swagger. Genuinely seems to believe he could dominate any sport/industry. Has recently had to learn how to play off of his teammates more. Remains to be seen if his game translates well to later rounds in the playoffs.
(Editor’s Note — Sezzle is the official jersey sponsor for the Minnesota Timberwolves, but Anthony Edwards just doesn’t seem like a good fit for Sezzle. Sorry!)
Pipe — Kyrie Irving
Had a volatile few years, but has stabilized himself recently and is playing some very good basketball.
Funding Circle — Damian Lillard
Said that he was committed to his market, got a big contract/SBLC license, and then demanded a trade/sold off its U.S. division.
Not a great look! Although at least Funding Circle returned the SBLC license.
(Editor’s Note — Lillard’s Milwaukee Bucks play in the Fiserv Forum, which I just had to mention because of how weird it is. Why would a bank technology vendor sponsor a basketball arena? Are there community bank executives in Wisconsin going to Bucks games and thinking, “You know what? I was going to go with FIS, but now I’m not so sure.”)
Nova Credit — Jalen Brunson
The nerds liked him way before it was cool. Has gotten a lot more attention since moving to a bigger market. Hopefully isn’t carrying too big of a workload.
Also, he attended Villanova!
Navan — Bam Adebayo
Elite at one thing and sticks to it. Easy to plug him in anywhere. Very well-liked teammate.
Pagaya — Trae Young
Puts up big numbers and plays with swagger. All offense, no defense. Not at all clear that his game will age well or work reliably in the playoffs.
Adyen — Lauri Markkanen
European. Really talented, with a well-rounded game, but tends to fly under the radar.
Prism Data — Brook Lopez
Reinvented himself to remain relevant in a changing market. Provided critical infrastructure for his team. Analytics friendly. Good teammate.
Column Tax — Jalen Suggs
Makes a thing that most people find boring (taxes/on-ball defense) into something casual fans can appreciate.
Coinbase — Draymond Green
Talks a lot of shit, but plays a very smart, strategic style. Massively influential for his era. Might have lost a little off of his fastball in recent years.
Credit Karma — Anthony Davis
Influential and easily recognizable, but more of a number two than a primary option. Great acquisition for a struggling behemoth.
Nubank — Victor Wembanyama
Has the highest trade value in the league. Massively hyped, but may still be undervalued?
(Editor’s Note — My apologies to Self, the official jersey sponsor for the San Antonio Spurs.)
FICO — Kevin Durant
The original unicorn. Unnervingly accurate and consistent. Everyone respects and/or is afraid of him. However, he’s (perhaps) getting too expensive for the value he provides.
(Editor’s Note — I considered PayPal for Durant, as PayPal is the official jersey sponsor for the Phoenix Suns, but it didn’t seem like a good fit. Durant hasn’t had the same type of swoon in his recent performance that PayPal had at the end of the Schulman era.)
Synapse — Kawhi Leonard
You can’t tell the story of the recent history of his industry without mentioning him, but his lack of availability has absolutely devastated his teams.
